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by Fred Landau (Author)
There are three small words to one simple truth: Parody is popular. It's so popular in contemporary society that you don't even have to go to a comedy club or find an off-Broadway stage to enjoy this unique type of humor. Just flick on your television or click, toggle, and swipe away at your laptop, tablet, or other digital must-have device. Parody is everywhere...because it has to be. We need it. In itself, parody is one of the most comforting forms of humor out there. It takes an event, topic, or medium to which the common, everyday person already has a strong emotional response and then reshapes it in a way that stirs an entirely different emotion. Parody helps us make sense of the absurd, brings fun to the mundane, and allows us to laugh when we might otherwise want to cry or throw our hands up in the air in defeat. It lifts us up when we are down and gives a new spin to things that frustrate us, offend our beliefs, or leave us wondering what could possibly come next. In other words, parody helps us digest what is going on in the world around us. And to that end, Fred Landau offers a unique blend of humor, music, and current events that will please your palate and leave you begging for another round. 21st Century Oldies is a compilation of parodies of twenty-first-century current events delivered in the form of new lyrics to classic pop songs. Mostly from the 1960s and '70s but going even a little further back, the songs are familiar ditties that we all know and love, and you'll love them in a new way when you see what Landau has done with them. A graduate of Harvard Law School with a master's degree from NYU School of Law, Landau combines his extensive background in musical theater with his clever wit and creative mind to deliver verses and lines that are not only playful but also inspirational. Landau's lyrics are fun, sarcastic, even silly at times, and they'll definitely stick in your head-and, maybe once they're stuck there, you'll be able to more easily appreciate their deeper meaning. Behind their entertainment value, the songs ultimately sing to triumph over adversity, which is a silver lining we all hope to find these days. The first volume in a forthcoming comprehensive set, 21st Century Oldies, Volume 1 includes parodies of topics and tunes starting with the letters A and B. Future volumes will go on to cover subjects and songs from the remainder of the alphabet, to culminate in what will prove to be nothing less than an encyclopedia of laughter, smiles, and very good times. To the memorable music of tried and true artists such as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Whitney Houston, and Barbara Streisand, topics parodied in this volume include American Idol meltdowns, Mark Sanford's Argentina saga, the AIG bailout mess, Bette Midler's always-dramatic professional life, and, of course, Barack Obama. Turn on your radio-or whatever it is you use to play music these days-and start reading this book. In no time, you'll be singing along, laughing, and feeling a whole lot better about life.
